Hello everyone, about a week ago I started hearing a ticking noise during cold starts. I also noticed that my oil pressure would drop all the way when I would start it up. So I'm thinking if my lifters are ticking, then I'm losing oil pressure? After the engine has warmed up a bit after driving it, the sound goes away. Also my oil pressure drops sometimes when I'm at red lights but eventually goes back up.
From a thread I read a long while back someone said its the worn out oil pan gasket that has crumbled and clogged my oil pump screen. Is this the case for me as well? Thanks for any help in advance!
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1991 2.3L Mustang LX - Daily driver
Flowmaster Muffler Original 40 series, Rear Window Louvers, Black GT style taillights, Weld Draglites 15x7 Front, 15x8 Rear.
I talked to my engine rebuilding instructor but he said it could be just a worn out oil pump. Though he says its odd since my Mustang only has 70,000 original miles. I'll ask him about the lifters, and hopefully I will be able to bring it in to diagnose it.
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1991 2.3L Mustang LX - Daily driver
Flowmaster Muffler Original 40 series, Rear Window Louvers, Black GT style taillights, Weld Draglites 15x7 Front, 15x8 Rear.
RWD 2.3L are overhead cam. The camshaft applies pressure directly to rockerarms which then apply pressure to the valves. You don't have any pushrods or lifters. Unless your block is wicked old.
The ticking could mean low oil pressure to the top of the head however. Does your pressure rebuild after startup or is it continuously low? All motors have low oil pressure on a cold start. Oil gets thick when it gets cold, but if pressure stays low when warm, definitely look into it.
I would say weak oil pump. Usually oil pumps last longer than that. Since said low oil pressure. I would put a test gauge on oil output and see what actually is. Does engine smoke etc? You may have the problem I had in spare turbo motor I took apart. The screen on the end of the oil pickup was clogged. When it was in car. Oil pressure wasn't great and it stripped a distributor shaft. Only idea I have right now.
I doubt it's a weak oil pump. The oil pumps nearly last forever. The pump driveshaft fails due to wear quite often. Yes even after 70K. It's easy enough to check. Just pull the drive assembly out and inspect the hex-shaped shaft at both ends.
Another common problem is a clogged oil pump pickup. The rubber Ford used for the o-ring style pan gasket deteriorates over time and the little crumbs find their way into the pan and ultimately end up embedded in the pickup screen. This one requires pulling the pan (which you'd be doing anyway to look at the oil pump).
Be careful. I got mine with the engine blown up for this very reason.
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Originally Posted by Slumlord
RWD 2.3L are overhead cam. The camshaft applies pressure directly to rockerarms which then apply pressure to the valves. You don't have any pushrods or lifters.
Actually it does have lifters. They're what the follower (rocker arm) pivots on to open the valves.
Because.. I checked it and I was practically running low.. I filled it up and then let it run and NO MORE TICKING, as well as no more low oil pressure. Still, I now know I have a small leak and need to find out where the leak is coming from. I'll do a new thread maybe, but thanks for your guys help
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1991 2.3L Mustang LX - Daily driver
Flowmaster Muffler Original 40 series, Rear Window Louvers, Black GT style taillights, Weld Draglites 15x7 Front, 15x8 Rear.
Because.. I checked it and I was practically running low.. I filled it up and then let it run and NO MORE TICKING, as well as no more low oil pressure. Still, I now know I have a small leak and need to find out where the leak is coming from. I'll do a new thread maybe, but thanks for your guys help
Because we mistakenly assumed you were smart enough to have already checked that
1991 2.3L Mustang Lifters ticking 
I filled it up and then let it run and NO MORE TICKING, as well as no more low oil pressure. Still, I now know I have a small leak and need to find out where the leak is coming from. I'll do a new thread maybe, but thanks for your guys help 
I immediately thought the worst once I heard that ticking noise, that I forgot all about the basic inspections
